What's GERD Got to Do With It?

GERD stands for gastroesophageal reflux disease. It is a result of the lower part of the esophagus, called the lower esophageal sphnicter (LES) not remaining closed, and frequently allowing stomach contents to go back up into the esophagus. With GERD, which is a chronic condition,, people may experience heartburn, nausea, regurgitation, difficulty sleeping, sore throat, hoarseness or other voice changes, chronic coughing, bad breath, a bad taste in the mouth, frequent belching, a feeling like something is stuck in the throat or a sensation of choking, sinus issues, dental problems, and respiratory concerns.

So, how does this affect the swallow function? The lower part of the swallow occurs in the esophagus. When the esophagus is damaged (erosions, inflammation, scar tissue, etc.) by GERD, it may make it difficult for food to pass through the esophagus and into the stomach. This can cause malnutrition, dehydration, weight loss, and affect a person's overall quality of life, since eating is such a major part of people's social lives.

What can your speech pathologist do to help? Your speech pathologist may be able to teach strategies for helping the food go down safely, recommend an appropriate diet consistency, teach on lifestyle changes, teach on reflux and aspiration precautions, and make appropriate recommendations for medical consultations.

If you have GERD and are experiencing swallowing difficulty, contact your doctor for your next course of action. Untreated GERD, in addition to swallow difficulty, may lead to more serious conditions such as pneumonia, erosive esophagitis,

esophageal strictures, and esophageal cancer.